I always give local music for Christmas. It's like giving twice: Once to the gift receiver, and once to the band — who get a little revenue for the holidays. Sis used to be an underground hip-hop kid, so she generally gets something recent from the Milled Pavement catalog. The three musically inclined brothers-in-law get a hand-made CD-R out of Strange Maine, the latest Sidecar EP, and whatever Chris Moulton's latest project is, respectively.

Hmmm, might have to get creative this year for those last two.

If you're feeling like you need to get creative this year, I've pulled out a bunch of stocking stuffers that I didn't get around to reviewing this past year, but which will likely be a great fit for your special someone:

FOR ANYONE WHO HIT THE AVETT BROTHERS, OLD CROW, AND MUMFORD SHOWS IN THE PAST YEAR You'll definitely want to grab them North, the debut EP from the Ghost of Paul Revere. A talented group of acoustic pickers with old souls and a nice feel for multi-part harmony, this is a band that can get touchy-feely ("Kodiak") right before they blast right through a barn-burner ("Wolves"); the closing "Spirit" has a real thump to it before an a capella finish that will keep you guessing.

FOR YOUR UNCLE, WHO RECENTLY SHOWED UP WEARING A LEATHER JACKET AND A SARONG Make sure to pick up Philip Carlo Paratore's Bronx to Bali, a record for adventurers. Tracked over six years, it's got big rock elements, Latin swing, Caribbean rhythm, Pacific Rim melodies, and a vocal delivery that's somewhere between Zappa and Transylvania 6-5000. There can be a simple seductiveness to instrumentals like "Kembali," and the waterfalls of chiming digital bells might be just right for the holidays.

FOR THE COUSIN TO WHOM YOU GAVE A WILLIAM GADDIS ALBUM LAST YEAR For dense, smart, lyrical songs that you can consume for days, give Post Provost's Ancient Open Allegory Oratorio, an album that uses 14 musicians to create 11 tracks. One of the best albums released locally this year, it's full of beautiful surprises, like "The Walking Cadaver," a jazzy tune full of brushed snare, a walking bass from Johnny Venom and a close-out that includes a dire piano from Michael McInnis. "Tall and Strong" has a "Girl from Ipanema" thing going on that's hard not to like a lot and "Ping Pong Dash" is a delicious gypsy polka.

FOR YOUR LITTLE SISTER, WHO JUST STARTED AT UVM Sure you could get her that Bob Marley box set, but think how cool she'll seem to the kids in the dorm when they get a load of Maine reggae, thanks to Royal Hammer's My Bubble. Fronted by Michael Taylor and with local lions all over the place — David Noyes, Jerusha Robinson, Gary Gemmiti, Tyler Quist, Lucas Desmond, Ryan Zoidis, Stu Mahan — these guys have been at it long enough now that they're super-tight and locked in on the easy vibe that makes for great reggae. Add in the closing track, where they put a reggae cover on Micah Blue Smaldone's "Mule," and this is probably the best-ever locally released album of this ilk.

New EPs, Arborea kickstarts for an album, and Spose's song-a-week The much-anticipated BALTIC SEA full-length has been put on hold until the new year by ERIK ROCK RECORDS , but not to worry: The band are releasing a short-run EP with two songs from the upcoming album, plus a couple of segues and a free download of a b-side from the last record.

Which witch? Crunk Witch. Crunk Witch's new Faith in the Thief is the most truly unique album to come out locally since, well, Crunk Witch's debut full-length, Legends of Manicorn, released on Milled Pavement in 2010.

Jeff Beam navigates the Flying Trapeze Talk about a high-wire act. On his fourth full-length album in as many years, young songwriter/performer/engineer Jeff Beam has set out to make an important album that's listenable, a record that both challenges ideas about pop music and embraces them.

New projects, debuts, and goodbyes Former CAMBIATA mates CHRIS MOULTON and STAN DZENGELEWSKI (hardest name in Portland music to spell?) have a new project they're calling VANITYITES , and they're getting help from all kinds of former bandmates and other talented folks.

Foam Castles invite you to Come Over to My House Bitch all you want about the firehose of new music nowadays, but the lowered barriers to recording and distribution certainly do make it easier for artists to be a lot more playful in their releases.

Paranoid Social Club really are out to get you Hopefully by now you've heard the first single from Paranoid Social Club's new Axis IV , "Count on Me," and you don't need a whole lot of convincing that this is the record you'll be listening to all summer.

Mic check VANITYITES frontman CHRIS MOULTON has already apologized for his insulting, immature behavior at last Thursday's Equality Maine benefit, but that doesn't mean we're ready to let him off the hook.

Boo-ya! Maybe it’s because dressing up as the economy would be kind of lame, but I’m haven’t heard Jack O’Shit in the way of truly scary costume ideas this year.

TALL HORSE, SHORT ALBUM | October 16, 2014 If Slainte did nothing more than allow Nick Poulin the time and space to get Tall Horse together, its legacy may be pretty well secure. Who knows what will eventually come of the band, but Glue, as a six-song introduction to the world, is a damn fine work filled with highly listenable, ’90s-style indie rock.

REVIVING VIVA NUEVA | October 11, 2014 15 years ago last week, Rustic Overtones appeared on the cover of the third-ever issue of the Portland Phoenix .

RODGERS, OVER AND OUT | October 11, 2014 It’s been a long time since standing up and pounding on a piano and belting out lyrics has been much of a thing.